Earth and Tree
by Chikiko
Summary: the Saotome's and the Tendo's  are stuck in the middle of a power struggle between two factions in an attempt to avoid the Earth and Tree War
1. Earth and Tree: Prolouge

Earth and Tree Prologue - Prologue   
  
"Rain! Why does it always have to rain like that around here? One minute clear sky, the next thunder storm." After a few more minutes of complaining about the weather Ranma went back to his practicing. Although he was actually quite dry and was already inside the dojo when the rain started, it was the principle that bothered him.   
  
"Why can't my life ever be simple? I got curses, and fiances and someone's always looking for an excuse to fight me!" He turned and looked out toward the rain, and pictured his girl half. "This is all your fault! My life was never like this till we took that stupid trip to Jusenkyo! I mean the problems started from the very beginning! First was Ryouga, then came that stupid dragon's whisker, and then of course came Shampoo and her stupid grandmother! All of this was your fault. If it wasn't for you, none of this would have ever happened. And if all of that wasn't enough it's your fault me and Akane are the way we are!"   
  
Scene upon scene of him and Akane flashed before his eyes. Happy scenes, depressing scenes, angry scenes, funny scenes, irritating scenes, scenes that reminded him why he liked her so much, scenes that made him think she did to, and finally scenes in which he felt betrayed and hurt. "This is your fault too! Me getting all emotional over some stupid girl!"   
  
"What should I care how she feels about me! She's just a dumb tomboy anyway! I mean who cares if she does look cute when she smiles, and maybe just MAYBE when she doesn't too? She's still a tomboy! Why does she always have to go and hit me for? I mean she never believes me, always thinking I'm some kinda pervert or something. It's not my fault I got this stupid curse! I'm always trying to avoid getting splashed and she knows that! But she always goes and calls me a pervert anyway."   
  
"And why is she always thinking I'm trying to do stuff with Shampoo and Ucchan? If I wanted one of them id pick one. Why is she always getting jealous over nothing? I'm always doing stuff to make her see how I fell about her! Who else would eat her toxic cooking, or what about all those times I try to stick up for her, or even all those times that I pretty much said I like her?" "Why can't she see how I feel about it? I mean I try to make it obvious to her. But what if she does? What if she hates me because of my stupid curse? I mean she sure was nice before she knew about it? Why else would she go out of her way to hurt me. If she isn't trying to hit me with those stupid mallets of hers she's always calling me a pervert or something stupid like that! She must know how much it hurt!"   
  
He stop where he was seething "NO! Stop right now! Stop acting like a girl! I hate feeling so vulnerable and the worse part is that there is nothing I can do about. If it was something else, like martial arts then I could fix it. If I had a weak spot then I could practice that area and strengthen it. But how do you fix a stupid emotional weakness. I mean I can't even fight good if Akane's around I keep feeling scared that something will happen to her! And the worse part is that not only does it not go away, it gets worse! But what do I do?"   
  
Ranma turned to look at the rain again "well what do you think? You're a girl you got know Something!" Just then a cool breeze wept into the dojo. He could feel the crisp night air and it seemed to penetrate him to his very depths. And then he laughed "that's your suggestion?" he asked incredulously "you can't be serious? You think I should tell her?! The only thing that's gonna accomplish is her calling me a pervert, hit by a mallet and a nonstop trip directly the pond. But what if your right... What if she didn't try to hit me or call me a pervert? What if she told me she felt the same way too? Come on lets get serious here this is Akane we're talking about! She couldn't! She wouldn't! It would be nice if she did. I mean it wouldn't solve all our problems but at least either way it would remove the doubts one way or another. She probably won't take me seriously and hit me like normal... but what if..."   
  
"What if what Ranma?"   
  
Ranma turned around shocked. His face went pale when he saw who was at the door. He nervously asked "Nabiki? How long have you been there?"   
  
"I just got here. Why what were you talking to yourself about?"   
  
"N-Nothing alright. Nothing at all"   
  
Nabiki shrugged "Whatever! Anyway Kasumi asked me to tell you that the bath is ready now so you can take your bath. It's a shame though I was hoping that with all this rain, you might have gotten wet and I could've got a few pictures of you working out. Oh well!"   
  
Ranma quickly walked past her and out the door. with that Ranma quickly got his stuff went to the bathroom to wash up.   
  
He finished washing and went to the tub to soak for a bit "hmm what should I do? Should I? What if she doesn't take me seriously or what if she doesn't feel the same way?" Ranma shook his head vigorously. "Stop acting like a girl Saotome! Your acting all scared again! That it I'm gonna do it... next week. NO! Stop chickening out. I am Ranma Saotome heir of the anything goes school of martial arts. I'm ain't scared of nothing! And I definitely ain't scared of no girl! I'm gonna do it tonight!" he then went on to dry up and get changed.   
  
He walked resolutely to Akane's door and lifted his hand to knock on the door when the door opened up to reveal Nabiki and Akane laughing. Nabiki smiled at Ranma "hello Ranma. Anyway Akane I'm off to bed" she turned and walked past him and into her room.   
  
Akane still giggling somewhat looked at Ranma and asked "yes Ranma what do you want?"   
  
"Huh?"   
  
"I said what do you want Ranma? Do you have something to tell me?"   
  
Ranma suddenly backed up He looked at Akane and noticed that she was starting to look impatient. "oh sorry Akane I uhh... thought this was Kasumi's room. Ya that's it I wanted to ask her something!"   
  
Akane looked at him for a second. He was seemed like he wanted to tell her something. But she just shook her head. Akane pointed down the hall "well if you want to talk with Kasumi her room is over there! This is my room." When he didn't leave right away, she asked "well? Are you gonna talk to Kasumi or did you have something else to tell me?"   
  
Ranma just shook his head and headed for Kasumi's room. He knocked on the door. She smiled at him when she opened the door and he went in. Akane who had been looking at him the whole time sighed, went to her bed and sighed again. "How stupid could I have been I actually thought he was gonna tell me this time. But honestly this is Ranma we're talking about. Maybe it was just my... *yawn* imagination. He couldn't *yawn* possibly... "and she fell asleep.   
  
Once he was sure that everyone was asleep, Ranma snuck outside and onto the roof. He then headed to the position above Akane's window. "Ok I'm here, but what do say? I just can't knock on her windows and tell her I love you'. She'd think I was up to something perverted and hit me!" Ranma sat there for a few minutes thinking. After a while had passed, he shot up and exclaimed "I got it! I'll just knock on her window and say Akane we've gotta talk!' yup that'll work then I can tell her how I feel!"   
  
A gentle wind blew past Ranma as if to remind him something. Ranma looked down and saw the pond. Ranma made a face "it won't work! She'll be like why do we have to talk now? Why didn't you talk to me earlier when you had the chance?' great what do I say to that?"   
  
Again Ranma sat thinking. Once again he sat for several minutes. But when he rose this time he had a slight blush on his cheeks "oh man she's gonna kill me! Only reason I can think of to tell her is so no one will be able to hear us. Man she could take that at least five different ways, all bad! Oh man what should I say? Maybe I should think about it a little longer?"   
  
He looked at the place where he sat and then back to the pond "aw skip it! If she hits me oh well! Who cares about her anyway?" Ranma then preceded to secure his footing and dropped down in front of her window.   
  
Akane awoke to the sound of someone knocking on her window. she looked sleepily at her alarm clock. Her eyes went wide in shock Akane walked over to her window and flung the curtain aside. She quickly opened the window and said "what do you want? Do you realize what time it is?" Ranma gulped "um Akane it's not what your thinking. Really! I just thought that we need to talk. Akane this is important. Please don't hit me."   
  
Akane moved away from the window and allowed Ranma to enter. "Okay Ranma lets talk but I warn you. If you do even the slightest perverted thing I'll knock you so hard into the pond you'll think you're a girl again"   
  
Ranma gulped again "um Akane... uh well you see... that is... what I'm trying to say is . . . well ok look at it this way, we've known each other for a long time now. About a(two) years in fact. And well that's the longest I've ever known anyone except for pops that is." Akane nodded her head.   
  
Ranma continued "and well ever since we got here lots of stuff has happened, some good some bad. You know what I mean? Like meeting and becoming friend with your family especially you and Kasumi, and finally settling down, and being able to make friends without fear that we may leave tomorrow and never see them again. Not to mention how much I've improved in the art while I was here. But there have been lots of bad stuff too like all those people who are always trying to get me or all of the stupid things pop got me into Ukyou and our stupid forced engagement. I mean why should we be forced to get married? I mean who are they to say who we should marry? Don't you think so?"   
  
Akane couldn't answer, she felt as if her heart had stopped. She was breathing laboriously and a thin layer of sweat covered her entire body.   
  
"I say we should choose who we want to marry otherwise, we'll never truly be happy. We should marry the person who we really love not just do what our pops want us to do." Ranma hesitated a moment feeling slightly scared.   
  
Just as Ranma was about to tell Akane he loved her something smashed through Akane's window sends shards of glass everywhere. In an instant Ranma jumped on top of Akane to cover her so that none of the glass would cut her. He quickly realized that he was laying on top of her on her bed and quickly jumped off. He looked up and saw six people enter Akane's room. "Who are you what do you want?"   
  
Five of them turned to the one in the center as if they didn't understand and needed it to be translated. The one in the center stepped forward. Her voice was alarmingly gentle, so much so one might have thought it was Kasumi attacking them. "Please forgive me for the intrusion, it was not my intension to disturb you. I had originally hoped to do this secretly and take the girl without anyone's knowledge. Sadly it seems a fight is inevitable."   
  
Akane was furious! First Ranma woke her up in the middle of the night, then he was playing mind games with her making her think he was going to break up with her so he could get her into bed easily. After all she'd seen it done in soap opera's all the time by other perverted jerks. And finally some girl and five of her friends broke into her room, with the intent of kidnaping her. She knew it was Ranma's fault somehow but now was not the time to give Ranma what he deserved, but she could get warmed up by beating up the idiots other idiots in her room. And before Ranma could say anything she charged the nearest kidnapper.   
  
The girl quickly learned why the mission would be harder if the girl's protector was present. So far Ranma had dodged her every move, but had yet to attack himself. She realized that he must not have been taking her seriously and was only toying with her. He was trying to make her angry so she would get sloppy. She moved back a few steps and threw what looked like three throwing stars. He quickly dodged them. Ranma stepped back. He realized that she never made a reach for them, she simply threw them.   
  
He took a quick glance at Akane and realized she was being triple teamed, and that the other two were just standing there watching. Ranma made a move to go help Akane, but three more perfectly placed stars prevented him from going any further.   
  
"Oh no you don't" the girl said "your fight is with me" to prove her point she threw three more stars. t was at this point that Ranma realized he never heard them hit. He quickly turned to see where the ne hit behind him. And saw three small holes in the wall behind him. He looked around sure nough there were six holes in each of the places they landed.   
  
The girl was slightly surprised when Ranma began to fight back, he was as expected very good. She as just starting to wonder how the others were doing when one of them slammed hard against the all. This was not good, although they had not made any noise throughout the fight, that would efinitely alert the rest of the family if their fighting hadn't already. And she knew that if the rest of he family were to show up, then the chances of HER' appearing became extremely good. She had o act fast. The girl was becoming a problem, too many things were at steak for them to fail now. ust as she ordered the remaining two to help capture Akane the bedroom door opened.   
  
"Could you guys Please keep your love making down! There are others in this house who would ike to sleep" Nabiki was going to continue teasing them until she noticed the five guys they were ighting and the ones who were even then entering through the broken window.   
  
  
  
Authors notes.   
  
please send any questions or comments to Chikiko@blastcomm.com   
  



	2. Earth and Tree: chapter 1

Earth and Tree chapter 1 - Part 1   
  
Ranma turned to see what got Nabiki's attention. There by he window was Happosai with five other people surround him. but something about the old man seemed to bother him. He wasn't sure the old man was but he was sure the kidnappers did. They all stared at him apprehensively, the girl more so then the others.   
  
Ranma was about to say something when the short man raised a hand to silence him, and spoke "My isn't it crowded in here! And look Aijou it seem we have an audience."   
  
Aijou, the girl, glowered at him "Why are you here old man? Shouldn't you doing more important things extremely far from here"   
  
"Well believe it or not, this is my last time! You can tell your mother I'm finally coming back home. In fact, unless I'm mistaken we can all go home after this."   
  
Aijou glared at him but said nothing. The Tendo's and the Saotome's looked at him incredulously! He couldn't possibly mean what he was implying! Could he? Was this short little man really her father?   
  
Ranma looked at him   
  
Indeed she was probably the most beautiful any of them had ever seen. She was tall with a tanned complection. Her hair was straight and yellow, but not yellow as in blonde. Instead her hair seemed as if it was drawn in with a child's crayon. Yet it did not look fake in the smallest bit. Then there was her eyes. Truly her most beautify trait. She had big orange eyes. Yet they seemed as if any minute they could be put out like a candle. Her eyes seemed like they were an illusion, a mirage in an arid dessert.   
  
Ranma blinked this wasn't the girl he had fought a few minutes ago, it was as if she suddenly changed! He surely would have noticed how beautiful she was earlier. But beautiful or not this was getting out of hand "Can someone tell me what's going on here?"   
  
The old man looked at him "well you see my boy, my name is Barguma, and this vision that got here before me is my daughter Aijou."   
  
Aijou quickly interjected "Exactly! I was here first, so be on your way old man! Its funny how the only time you ever show up is now when your not wanted!"   
  
Ranma's eye began to twitch "that's not what I meant! Why are the two of you and your goons doing here?"   
  
Barguma looked thoughtful for a moment "hmm how do I put this delicately? Well you see that girl there?" he said pointing at Akane "well I'm here to take her, you see my mission is to capture The Mistress of Water, we've managed to track her here to this house. After we capture her we can return to the middle country, and I can go back to my wife. She is said to be a good martial artist. And seeing as how she is the only girl in the room not cowering in the corner is further proof of who she is."   
  
Ranma moved closer to Akane putting himself between her and both groups of kidnappers. "Oh no you don't! Akane's not going anywhere with any of you psycho's!"   
  
To say Akane was angry was an understatement. Akane jumped into action. Before he could even expect it Akane nailed one of the kidnappers she was fighting earlier and turned for on of the new ones.   
  
Barguma only smiled "Ok boy's you know what to do!" two of his men quickly closed in on Ranma "and now that he's distracted I can go in and claim my prize"   
  
Barguma made a move toward Akane but Aijou jumped in front of him and ordered her men back into action. "I don't think so old man, I was here first and I'm taking the girl with me."   
  
Two of Aijou's men went for Akane while the other one went for one of Barguma's. Barguma's remaining man moved to intercept the ones who went for Akane. He was able to tackle one but the other one made it to Akane and the three began fighting each other.   
  
As for the family Nabiki ran back to her room to get her video camera. She had already setup a tape recorder in the room when she visited her earlier, but here was her chance to video tape an actual kidnaping attempt. If she spoke to the right people, she could make lots of money off of this. She quickly grabbed her camera and started recording the fight.   
  
Genma and Soun were sitting on the floor pretending to be commentators. They were calling out each move and action made. They would often center on their own child and brag on how they were the ones who taught them to fight so well. Nadoka on the hand watched silently. She was admiring how manly her son was, defending his fiancee from two sets of kidnappers.   
  
Kasumi seeing the behavior of the others left the room. Someone had to be the mature one!. So she headed downstairs and to the kitchen. After all with all the commenting and yelling her father and Mr. Saotome made she was sure they were bound to get thirsty. And also Mrs. Saotome must have been getting tired of standing, and Nabiki might want a tripod for her video camera. Once again she had to be the responsible one and provide for her family. Then a thought struck her. If she hurried perhaps there would be enough time left to sit down and enjoy the fight with the rest of the family.   
  
Ranma was taken aback. These guys were hard! Neither was as good as the girl was, but between the both of them they were giving him a hard time. He shot a glance over at akane. She wasn't doing well. The only thing that saved her this long was the fact that the two fighting her were also fighting each other.   
  
He also noticed that Aijou and Barguma started fighting themselves. They were both seriously going at it, both taking and delivering hard blows. Aijou was utterly serious about the fight, she almost reminded him of Ryouga when they would fight. Barguma on the other hand was different. While he seemed to be fighting just as seriously , he seemed to be smiling.   
  
It almost reminded Ranma of ..... they were beginning to wear Ranma down. He kept dodging and hitting when he could, but he was having a hard time getting hits in. It was almost as if they were coordinating there attacks. Ranma had never been on the defensive this long before. He could already see that the 2 kidnappers had already been taken down. And Akane was in an even worse position than before, now that one of her attackers went down. Leaving the one who remained to fully concentrate on attacking her.   
  
Then came the grand finale. One of Barguma's men was able to knock down Aijou's man. But his companion who was fighting Akane fell at the same time. So he rushed in to take his place. But Akane exhausted from fighting and using up all her adrenaline fainted. Barguma's man seeing Akane fall tackled the guy she was fighting and they both slammed into Barguma.   
  
One of the two fighting Ranma stopped when he saw this, giving Ranma the break he needed. He sent a quick kick to the back of his head. And quickly unleashed his chestnut fist on the other. That was when he looked up and saw Aijou. The moment Barguma fell Aijou jumped into action she vaulted to the other side of the room and grabbed Akane and headed for the window. Ranma jumped after her.   
  
Barguma crawled out from under the two and whistled loudly "hurray grab all the girls" and he jumped out the window and ran after Ranma and Aijou.   
  
Kasumi had just returned when all this started happening. She had just sat down to watch when Barguma yelled to grab all the girls and jumped out the window. No sooner had he jumped out the window, when four more guys jumped in.   
  
They quickly made their way toward the other women but were surprised to see Soun and Genma jump in their way "I'm sorry" Genma began "but can't let you have them" Soun finished.   
  
The three women stood behind them. Nadoka cursed herself for not bringing her katana. Two of them went for Soun, while the other two went for Genma. The four wedged themselves between Soun and Genma, separating them. They then began to push them back separating them further.   
  
Soun was a good martial artist but it had been a long time since he had practiced seriously. He was out numbered and over powered. In almost perfect sequence one delivered a kick to his midsection. As he doubled over in pain the other delivered a quick hit to the back of his neck knocked him out. Since they were the closest to the girls they quickly grabbed them and jumped out the window even with Nabiki kicking and screaming the whole way.   
  
Genma didn't have it much easier. This was much harder than fighting with Ranma every morning. Plus Nadoka would be kidnaped if he failed. He gave her a look the he taught her long ago meant for her to run away. She tried to make a run for it and grab her katana but her path was blocked. She started to back up but he kept following until she was backed into a corner. Now Nadoka wasn't a martial artist but being a woman she was familiar with one move that all women are taught at an early age. She wound her foot back and sent it flying at her opponents groin.   
  
It found its mark and the man crosseyedly fell back. Both Genma and his opponent winced sympathetically, but Genma recovered quickly and having somehow found some cold water turned himself into a panda and charged him. Genma rammed the man into the wall between the hardness of the wall and the weight of the panda the man's eyes rolled back and went into wonderland.   
  
After jumping out the window, Ranma had to avoid a few more stars. Using his enhanced speed he was able to avoid serious injury but one did manage to leave an extremely painful cut on his neck. he felt his neck where he was cut.   
  
Seeing as how he just avoided all the stars the stars Aijou took off. She took off toward the forest. | Aijou was running as fast as she could, she had to outrun both Ranma and Barguma .she knew Ranma was close, she could feel it. fighting Ranma now would only delay her, allowing Barguma the chance to catch up. She knew that if he caught up to her now, it would be over for her. He would take Akane and she would be a failure. She would not fail, could not fail! Her future depended on the outcome of this mission. | But Ranma was catching up quickly   
  
She quickly jumped into a tree and set down Akane and headed further into the forest by tree top.   
  
Ranma sensed the stop and change of direction. He was about to rush in and grab her when a thought occurred to him   
  
After a moment of indecision he turned to go after Aijou when he sensed danger and jumped. The tree he was just standing on could now pass for Swiss cheese. he didn't have a chance to complain any further as another group of ki starts came flying his way followed by another.   
  
He wasn't even finished dodging when another group at him. He quickly jumped and took another nick to the leg. But no sooner had he cleared the ki stars when he took a kick to the back.   
  
Ranma slammed hard into a tree and fell hard on the leg that was cut by the ki star. He tried to stand but the pain was too much and he fell back down. He grit his teeth and clenched his hands and while extremely painful he made it up.   
  
Aijou though wasted no time seeing he was having a hard time standing up, she jumped back into the tree and picked up akane. When she jumped back down she was quite surprised to see him standing. "You are good! But you're using up all your energy just to stand. So I guess I should thank you for the fight and I'll see you around I guess. Oh and tell the old man he was to late for me will you?"   
  
Before either Aijou or Ranma could say anything Barguma came from behind and hit several points on Ranma's back causing him to fall "Why don't you tell me yourself Aijou? Wouldn't it make your victory that much sweater? Oh and don't worry boy that paralysis isn't permanent. It'll wear off in a few hours or so. Long enough time for us to make our escape." He then looked at Aijou and shook his head in a disapproving manor. "What is Misty Cat Clan teaching you? You wasted to much time. If you would have paralyzed him like I did and kept running you might have made it."   
  
"Don't go speaking like its over! I've got the girl. Just because you found me doesn't mean a thing. I've beat you before and I'll do it again!"   
  
"Yes you have but you've never beat me while carrying another now have you? I already have the other women, I'll take this one too! So what is it going to be? Are you going to fight with her in your arms and lose, or will you set her down and the two of us can go at it?"   
  
"I'm not falling for your tricks old man. I know you had another four men in reserve. One for each girl. But there were only 3 other girls, so the fourth one's for her. I put her down and your fourth takes her while I'm busy fighting with you. No thanks I'll take my chances."   
  
Barguma just shrugged "well if that's how you want to be, its fine with me." He lifted a sword and charged her. He was quick but his moves were very obvious making it very easy to dodge.   
  
Ranma noticed a few times when he slowed down to avoid hitting her. Again he noticed the smile his face.   
  
Aijou also seemed to pick up on her fathers tactics. "Old man stop playing around! Fight me for real or move out of my way! I've got better things to do then to stay here with you."   
  
Barguma smiles a little bigger. "Well if what you want I guess I can help you out." Barguma then changed his attack. Instead of swinging at Aijou herself he swung at Akane.   
  
Ranma's eyes went wide when he saw this. He tried to jump to scream, but he couldn't break his paralysis. Then he relaxed a little as he saw Aijou twist to move Akane out of the way. But in order to do that she ended up taking the hit herself.   
  
Ranma winced thinking Aijou must have been cut from Barguma's sword. But to Ranma and Aijou's surprise the sword was blunt.   
  
After a few minutes of taking hits for Akane, Aijou began to get angry "hey old man what are doing. You're supposed to be fighting me not playing tag with me!"   
  
Barguma laughed. "If I was using a real blade you would be dead by now! Not to mention that all your attempts to attack me thus far have been awful. The boy as paralyzed as he is could most likely have dodged your attacks. I'm doing you a favor. But if you want me to get serious, I can arrange that for you. But how can I get serious if you don't. Put down the girl and we can really fight. Winner take all." "Oh sure old man. I put her down to fight and one of your goons will pop up and take her while I'm busy with you! I'm not that stupid old man. This mission is too important."   
  
"I'm serious too. No tricks, no people popping up while we're fighting. Honestly Aijou you're my only daughter, I could never do that my baby girl."   
  
Aijou glared at him for a minute, but slowly walked toward Ranma and set her next to him. "Ok old man I'm going to trust you this time."   
  
As Aijou and Barguma circled each other, Ranma tried to glance at Akane to see how she was. Realizing she was just out of view and that he couldn't do anything, he shifted his attention back to the fight. In the brief time Ranma tried to look at Akane the fight had started. Ranma assumed Barguma was he first to attack seeing as how Aijou was currently on the defensive. Barguma was attacking just as quick as before, but this time his swings were definitely not as obvious as before.   
  
Ranma was impressed   
  
As Ranma was contemplating the fight Aijou was busy trying to find an opening so she could attack herself. After a few minutes when one didn't present itself she thought to herself.   
  
Aijou started turning as she fought. Barguma not wanting to let up on his advantage followed her. As soon as Ranma and Akane were behind her, she took a small step back and threw a few of her ki stars.   
  
Barguma wasn't expecting that move and had to jump for safety. Aijou wasted no time and charged in immediately. Barguma hadn't even landed before he had to bring up his sword to block her attacks.   
  
He landed an parried a few more attacks before jumping back a few steps. "That was good! Point to you. I didn't think you'd risk hitting them with your stars. I guess you are taking this seriously, so I probably should too."   
  
Barguma immediately rushed in, but Aijou was expecting that, she quickly dodged and launched her own attack. It seemed like a stale mate. Neither would advance, but neither would fall back.   
  
Barguma faked a moment and rushed in as she moved to block the fake. Realizing the deception, Aijou swing widely to defend herself. What she didn't realize was that she was close enough to a tree that with her wild swing she was able to cut through the small tree.   
  
Unfortunately Ranma realized that the tree was heading for him and Akane. Ranma watched helplessly as the tree came for him. He cursed him for being weak. For not having the courage to tell Akane how much he cared for her when he had the chance and now they were probably going to die.   
  
Just as the tree was going to land on them Barguma landed on it and jabbed a finger at it before jumping away. The tree blew up it would if Ryouga had used his Bokusai Tenketsu on it. Ranma was both surprised and relived. The Bokusai Tenketsu wasn't supposed to work on living things. This further confirmed his belief that this guy wasn't someone to take lightly.   
  
Barguma landed and turned to Aijou who also looked who also looked afraid. "You getting reckless Aijou, I've taught you better than that. I had planned to continue this a little longer, after all the only times I see you anymore is during these little fights we have. But I see now I've misjudged you. So I'm going to have to end this now." With even more speed than before Barguma rushed Aijou, his attacks were amazing. It was as if he was swinging his sword at amaguriken speed. Aijou was caught completely unprepared. Each swing of his sword hit a vital point.   
  
Aijou dropped to her knees. "You've been holding back this whole time? Are you stupid! What about the mission? If you would have fought like this from the beginning you would have won? Why did you drag it out?"   
  
Barguma shook his head. "If I was destined to be the one to complete the mission then that is what would have happened. But if you were the one fate picked then nothing I could do would change that. So I choose to spend my time with you. I'm sorry I wasn't able to always be there while you were growing up." Barguma sighed "maybe one day you'll come to understand."   
  
Aijou was angry beyond words, she felt ridiculed, betrayed, and just pure anger. She stood and charged him. She swung savagely with all her strength, but was able to barely control herself enough not to go into a mindless berserker rage.   
  
Barguma blocked her swords attacks, but wasn't ready for the ki stars, and took to his sword hand, and drop his sword. Aijou swung her sword down at him, but Barguma rolled out of the way and threw a pair of his own ki stars. Aijou dodged one but the second struck her in the shoulder of her sword hand.   
  
Seeing Aijou still with her sword, Barguma quickly picked up his sword with his left hand. Aijou rushed in again, keeping a hold of her sword despite the incredible pain. When the swords met, it became apparent to her that Barguma had trained with his left hand. She had thought the he grabbed the sword in an act of desperation, but he seemed to be able to handle the sword with both his right and left. She was about to rush him again when suddenly jumped straight at her. He landed a few feet in front of her. He extend his sword perpendicular to his body and came at her. She turned slightly to help her defend herself from his left handed attack. But instead of swinging with his sword he jumped behind her. Before she could react, his hands darted out and struck her in the same place he hit Ranma earlier.   
  
Aijou fell to the floor. "I'm sorry Aijou." He then walked up to Akane and picked her up. He moved to a place where Ranma could see him. "Don't feel to bad, after all I'm much older and have more experience than you. You did pretty good, a few more years of the right training and you'd be one tough kid to beat. Oh ya! Don't worry about the other girls they'll be back in a few days safe and sound, after everything's been taken care of. See ya!" with that Barguma jumped into the tree's and disappeared.   
  
  
  
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Authors notes.   
  
please send any questions or comments to Chikiko@blastcomm.com   
  



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